Celestron 44340 - LCD Digital Microscope User manual

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Introduction

Thank you for purchasing the Celestron LCD Digital Microscope with a 3.5” monitor. Your microscope is a precision

optical instrument, made of the highest quality materials to ensure durability and long life. It is designed to give you a

lifetime of pleasure with a minimal amount of maintenance.

Before attempting to use your microscope, please read through the instructions to familiarize yourself with the functions

and operations to maximize your enjoyment and usage. See the microscope diagrams to locate the parts discussed in this

manual. If you run into any problems, see the trouble shooting section later in this manual.

This microscope provides high powers from 40x up to 400x (up to 1600x with digital zoom). This microscope is ideally

suited for examining specimen slides of yeasts and molds, cultures, plant and animal parts, fibers, bacteria, etc. You can

also examine small & thin objects such as coins, stamps, PC boards, insects, and other objects especially at the lower

powers but remember than the lowest power is 40x.

The LCD Digital Microscope does not use eyepieces that are used in traditional microscopes. You will view specimens or

objects on the LCD screen which are easy to see and you can enjoy them with others also. You can also take snapshots or

short videos with the built-in digital camera.

The final section provides simple care and maintenance tips for you to follow to ensure that your microscope provides you

with years of quality performance, usage, and enjoyment.

Figure 1

1. SD Card Rece

p

tacle

2. Mini USB Cable Rece

p

tacle

3. Arm

4. To

p

Illuminator

5. Stage Control Knobs

6. Focus Knob

7. Base

14. LCD Monitor

13. LCD Module

12. Ob

j

ective Nose

p

iece

11. Ob

j

ective Lens

10. Mechanical Stage

9. Bottom Illuminator

8. Illuminator

Switch

3

Standard Accessories Included with your Microscope

y Digital Camera – built-in y Filter Wheel–built-in 6 position

y LCD Monitor y AC Adapter

y 4x Objective Lens y USB Cable

y 10x Objective Lens y 5 Prepared Slides

y 40x Objective Lens y Dust Cover

y Top & Bottom Illuminators y Carrying Case

y SD Card Slot

Specifications

Model # 44340 Specifications

Stage Mechanical Stage 3.5” x 3.5” (88mm x 88mm)

Digital Camera

2MP CMOS; 10x Magnification in lieu of an Eyepiece; 1600x

1200 pixel array

LCD Monitor

3.5” with 4x Digital Zoom – High definition digital TFT display

Resolution – 320x240 pixels, Contrast ratio – 300, Color

Support – 262K colors, Brightness/Luminance – 400cd/m2

Focuser Smooth, single motion

Objectives Achromatic 4x, 10x and 40x

Flash Memory

512MB (approximately 650+ snapshots @ 2mp or video of 2.5 hours+)

Snapshots in JPEG format and 3GP files for Video

USB Cable 1.1 Mini

Filter Wheel Clear/Red/Yellow/Dark Green/Light Green/Blue

Nosepiece Triple with click stop

Illuminators Built-in electric – both are LED 6Volt and 6Watt

Condenser N.A. 0.65

AC Adapter Input Universal 100 to 240Volt 50/60HZ

Weight/Dimensions 51oz/1446g 4.5” (114mm) x 6” (152mm) x 13” (330mm)

Magnification (Power) Table

Use the following table to determine the magnification of the different objective lenses in combination with your

microscope using the normal mode of the digital image on the LCD screen and using the digital zoom feature.

Objective Lens 4x 10x 40x

Digital Image -- normal

40x 100x 400x

Maximum with 4x digital zoom feature

Note: Digital Zoom does not work with 2mp or

3mp pixel settings.

160x 400x 1600x

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Setting Up Your Microscope

1. Take the carrying case out of the cardboard carton.

2. Carefully remove the microscope and other parts from the carrying case and set them on a table, desk, or other flat surface.

3. Remove the dust cover from the microscope.

Figure 2

4. Plug the small cable from the AC adapter into the socket on the back of the base (see Figure 2 above).

5. Insert the plug end of the AC adapter into the proper power source.

Note: The AC Adapter supplied with this microscope has an interchangeable plug system that can work in the USA, UK,

Europe, Australia and many other parts of the world. The plug for the USA will be installed in the AC Adapter.

You can easily change plugs for your particular requirement by doing the following:

A. Push down on the small button labeled “PUSH” and hold it down while at the same time hold the prongs of the

plug and rotate it slightly counterclockwise and pull up to remove it. Then remove your finger from holding the

“PUSH” button down.

B. Take the plug style that you want to use and center it over the AC Adapter and rotate it until it falls down into the

opening. Then rotate it clockwise until you hear a click sound which lets you know the plug is now installed

correctly.

Microscope Operation

Before looking at specimens you must turn the LCD on, turn on the proper illumination, and understand how to use the

mechanical stage and then you are ready to begin viewing.

Figure 3

LCD Module

This digital microscope is different than traditional microscopes --- instead of using eyepieces to look at a specimen in a

traditional microscope, the LCD monitor replaces the eyepieces so you can look at the specimen on the screen by

yourself or share the views with others. To begin to view specimens with your microscope, you will have to turn the

LCD monitor on by turning the Power Button “On” (see Figure 3). Push and hold the button down until the green LED

comes on indicating the LCD monitor is “On.” That is basically all you need to do to use the LCD screen for viewing

specimens. The various keys on the LCD Module are mainly used for taking images (snapshots and video) and will be

discussed later in this manual.

Socket

AC Adapter

w/ USA Plug

Euro

p

e Plu

g

UK Plug

Direction/OK Ke

y

s

Monitor On Li

g

ht

Power On/Off Button

ESC

(

Chan

g

e

)

Ke

y

Menu Ke

y

Snap Key

5

Illumination

To get the sharpest and best views, the proper illumination (lighting) must be chosen.

1. To turn the illuminator(s) on, see Figure 4 below which shows the following four positions on the Illuminator Switch --

- OFF, I (Bottom Illuminator), II (Top Illuminator), and III (Both Bottom & Top Illuminators).

2. The top illuminator (11) is normally for solid objects (not specimen slides) so light shines down onto the object.

The top illuminator was designed to be used at low power (4x objective) as higher power objective lenses (10x & 40x) will

block the light. If you need to use high power to observe solid objects, use a secondary light (desk lamp, etc.) for

illumination.

3. The bottom illuminator (9) is used for specimen slides where the light shines up through the hole in the stage through

the slide.

4. Having both illuminators on at the same time can provide enough light for thick and irregular specimens.

Figure 4

Adjusting the Lighting

Specimens of different size, thickness, and color variations will require different levels of illumination. There are two ways

to change the amount of illumination when viewing a specimen; adjusting the brightness on the dial shown above in Figure

4 and changing the EV function on the LCD monitor. The EV (exposure value for brightness) function increases or

decreases the brightness level by using the up or down arrow keys on the LCD monitor.

When viewing a specimen that is not transparent or dark in color, you may need to increase the amount of light to resolve

certain features or details. This is best done by simply increasing the brightness of the illuminator by rotating the

brightness control dial all the way to its highest setting.

Optimum lighting will be found by experimenting with adjustments as each specimen may require slightly different

illumination as well as the same specimens viewed under different powers.

Viewing a Specimen

Your instrument is provided with a mechanical stage with a stage holder clamp and directional knobs –see Figure 5 below.

1. Use the clamp lever to open the clamping arm of the stage holder clamp.

2. Place a specimen slide (3” x 1” / 76.2 x 25.4 mm size) inside the holder and close the clamping arm against the slide.

3. Use the stage movement knobs to position the specimen over the opening in the stage. The rear stage movement knob

moves the X axis (forward and backward) whereas the front stage movement knob moves the Y axis (side to side).

Note: A vernier scale on both axes allows the exact marking and replication of an object in the field of view that the user

may want to come back to.

Figure 5

Clamp Lever & Clamping Arm

Front Stage Movement Knob. Rear Knob to the left

Illuminator Switch

Illuminator Brightness Dial

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4. Use the objective nosepiece (12) to rotate the objective lenses (11) until the 4x objective lens is directly over the

specimen and clicks into place. Always start with the lowest power objective (4x with this microscope) which gives

you 40 power and work your way up to higher powers. At 40 power you will have the widest field of view and the

brightest image.

5. Look at the LCD screen while turning the focus knob (6) until the specimen comes into view. You may need to adjust

the stage movement knobs (Figure 5) slightly to center the specimen in the field of view.

6. With the 4x objective lens, you can also vary the power anywhere from 40x to 160x by using the digital zoom of the

LCD module. Use the direction keys (left/right) on the LCD module to use the digital zoom and in the bottom right of

the screen will be an icon of a magnifier indicating at what digital zoom setting you are at.

7. For higher powers, you will need to rotate the objective nosepiece to the 10x objective and to the 40x objective for the

maximum power. You will have to refocus when changing the power of the objective lenses. While using either of

these objective lenses you also can increase power by using the digital zoom.

Note: When changing objective lenses, lower the stage to its lowest position so you will not hit anything during the

rotation. Also, at the higher powers, be careful when raising the stage close to the objective lens so that the

objective does not hit the slide specimen (or other object) and cause damage.

Using Filters

Normally most viewing or imaging will be done without filters and before using check to make sure no filters are in the

optical path. However, to bring out different levels of detail, experiment with changing the color of the back lighting of the

specimen especially for very bright transparent specimens. To change the lighting color, rotate the color filter wheel

(Figure 6 below) to the desired color. Each color is centered when you hear the click stop. You may need to refocus by

adjusting the focus knob (6) slightly for best viewing. You should experiment with each of the colors to see the results.

Figure 6

Digital Imaging

You can take snapshots or a short video with your microscope with the built-in digital camera. With the internal storage

memory, you do not need to use a PC or any other devices to do imaging. Transferring of images to your PC for saving and

or printing them is easy and will be discussed later in this manual.

Note: If you are going to take images, do not connect the USB cable to your PC or damages could occur to the equipment.

The USB cable is not used at all for taking images.

Settings and Information for the Digital Camera

1. In the bottom left of the LCD screen is the EV (Exposure Value) which adjusts the brightness level. The normal

position is 0.0 and this can be adjusted in increments up to +1.2 to -1.2 by pushing the up/down directional keys.

2. In the bottom left of the screen is shown an estimate of the remaining snapshot images left in the internal memory.

3. In the top left of the screen is shown an icon of a camera which indicates it is ready for snapshot mode.

4. By pushing the directional keys (left/right) you change the digital zoom shown by a magnifier icon when you push the

keys.

5. Push the Menu Key to:

A. Mode – the normal (default setting) is “Single” for taking snapshots one at a time as you choose. You can change this

setting to “Auto” which will tell the camera to take snapshots at a predetermined time you set in the “Setting” choice.

B. Size – this sets the resolution you want for the image. The camera itself uses the 1600x1200 pixel arrangement

(2MP) but you can use digital interpolation to increase the resolution or you can use lower resolutions to increase

the number of images you can save in your internal storage memory. Use the directional keys (up/down) to make

changes and you will see the resolution setting at the top left of the screen.

C. Effect – you can change from Normal, to Black/White, Negative, or Sepia.

Color Filter Wheel

7

D. Date Label – if you desire to have the time and or date stamped on your images you can select the information to

include under “Setting” and then choose “Yes”, or you can choose to have no label (default setting).

E. DV Record – if you want to take videos, push the OK key and the resolution will appear on the top left of the

screen. Resolution is automatically changed to low resolution for video. The rate is 25 fps. The time elapsed for

the video is shown in the lower left of the screen. To begin a video push the “SNAP” button and end the video by

pushing the “SNAP” button. While recording a video icon will also be flashing in the top left of the screen. To

exit to the snapshot mode, push the “ESC” button.

Note: After turning the LCD Monitor off, most settings will revert to the default setting.

Taking Images

1. Snapshots – to take snapshots make sure you are in the camera mode (camera icon in the lower left of the screen) and

you will use the Snap Key on the LCD Monitor. Push the key when ready and the image will be stored in the internal

storage memory.

2. Video – change the settings to the DV Record. To begin and end your video recording push the “SNAP” key. The

movie (video) icon will flash to let you know you are recording and the elapsed time will be shown in the bottom left

of the screen.

3. You can also take images (snapshot or video) by using an SD (Secure Digital) Card. Your SD card is inserted in the

LCD Monitor (1). When you insert the SD card properly the SD card icon will be visible at the top of the LCD screen.

On the bottom right of the screen will be shown the memory available on the SD card. When imaging this way the

images are saved on the SD card and not in the internal storage memory.

Note: Inserting or removing an SD card while the LCD is on may cause the LCD to shut down and/or could damage the SD card.

Sample Images

The following specimen images left to right below were taken at 40x, 100x, 400x of Vicia Faba Young Root C.S.

Reviewing and Managing Your Images

You can review and manage your snapshots and videos on the LCD Monitor that are saved in the internal storage memory.

1. By pushing the ESC Key, you enter the stored images (Picture View). Use the directional keys to select the image you

want to view and press the OK Key to view with full screen. Thumbnail images appear on the left half of the screen (as

you scroll through the images on the right) and the images are listed by number on the right side of the screen for ease of

selection. To review your videos while in the stored images, press MENU and then select the video you want to review.

Push OK to start and stop the video. Press ESC to exit the video. When observing an image with full screen view, you

can return to the stored images by pushing the ESC Key. To exit to real time (snapshot mode), push the ESC Key again.

2. You can manage your images by pushing the MENU Key:

A. File Protect – you can make selections by pushing the OK Key. You have a choice of “Lock” to protect this

image or “Unlock” where the image is not protected.

B. Del File – if you want to delete one or more images you can select “Current” to delete the image you are

viewing or you can select “All” to delete all of your images.

C. Exit – select this to return to the “Picture View” screen.

Transferring Your Images

To transfer images to a PC or MAC, you need to have a free USB port and have an imaging program for snapshots and/or video.

Note: Do not disconnect the USB cable while transferring images or damage may occur.

1. You can transfer images from the internal storage memory to your PC by using the supplied Mini USB Cable. The small

plug end of the cable plugs into the LCD Monitor (2) and the large plug end of the cable plugs into your PC. If the

connections are proper you will see on your microscope screen “MSDC” or similar data. Your PC will automatically

recognize the new hardware. Then, you will choose which program on your PC you want to transfer the images to.

2. If you used an SD card to store your images, you can transfer them to your PC using the method in # 1 above or you

can take the SD card out and use the SD card slot on your PC to transfer the images. In either way your PC will ask

you to choose which program you want to transfer the images to.

Trouble Shooting

If you do not get an image (or a good image) to view on your LCD screen, here are a few things to double check:

1. Make sure the AC Adapter is plugged in to an AC power source and attached to the microscope securely and correctly.

2. Make sure you have the illuminator turned on with maximum brightness adjustment (this is the normal position).

3. Make sure the objective lens you have chosen is set correctly and it has clicked in the right position.

4. Make sure that the filter wheel is set correctly at a click position so that the illuminated light comes up properly – the normal

position for most usage is with the clear hole.

5. Make sure the specimen slide is correctly fit into the clamp on the mechanical stage and properly centered.

6. If the stage is wobbly or erratic in movement, make sure all screws on the top and side of the stage are tight and especially the two

very small screws to the left of the long stage knob (see Figure 5).

Care, Maintenance, and Warranty

Your Celestron microscope is a precision optical instrument and should be treated with care at all times. Follow these care and

maintenance suggestions and your microscope will need very little maintenance throughout its lifetime.

y When you are done using your microscope, remove any specimens left on the stage.

y Turn off the illuminator switch.

y Turn off the LCD monitor.

y Unplug the power cord.

y Always place the dust cover over the microscope when not in use or when being stored.

y Store the microscope in a dry and clean place.

y Be very careful if using your microscope in direct sun light to prevent damage to the microscope or your eyes.

y When moving your microscope, carry it by the “arm” with one hand and not by the focuser knob, LCD monitor, etc. Then, put

your other hand under the base for support.

y Clean the outside surfaces (metal and plastics) with a moist cloth.

y Always unplug any cords before cleaning.

y Never clean optical surfaces with cloth or paper towels as they can scratch optical surfaces easily.

y Blow off dust with a camel’s hair brush or an air blower from optical surfaces.

y To clean fingerprints off of optical surfaces, use a lens cleaning agent and lens tissue available at most photo outlets and when

cleaning do not rub in circles as this may cause sleeks or scratches to occur.

y Never disassemble or clean internal optical surfaces. This should be done by qualified technicians at the factory or other

authorized repair facilities.

y When handling glass specimen slides, use care as the edges can be sharp.

Warranty

Your microscope has a two year limited warranty. Please see the Celestron website for detailed information at www.celestron.com

.

EEC: This product complies with EEC guidelines in EN61558-2-6:1997 and EN61558-1:1997+A1

FCC Statement

This device complies with Part 15 of FCC Rules. Operation is subject to the following two conditions:

1. This device may not cause harmful interference, and

2. This device must accept any interference received, including interference that may cause undesired operation.

RoHS

2835 Columbia St.

Torrance, California 90503 U.S.A.

www.celestron.com

Printed in China 03-10

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